Yes, I spent £260,000 on a car but I’m clever with money

After too long in the shadows it is now time for Stephen Ireland to rebuild his career at Aston Villa - and perhaps his reputation

Stephen Ireland has never been far from controversy throughout his career (Chris Bourchier)
What do we think we know about Stephen Ireland? He’s the footballer with the
curious surname: the Ireland refusing to play for Ireland. International
debutant at 20, he soon fell out with his country after he lied about his
grandmother dying and, although he is the Republic’s most creative player,
he hasn’t worn the green shirt since September 2007.

Perhaps he has always been a little different. Three seasons ago, after
scoring a goal for Manchester City, he pulled down his shorts to reveal
Superman underpants. His teammates thought it funny, the rest of the
football world less so. But even then, aged 21, he was an excellent
footballer and one of the reasons City fans believed their team had a
future. At the end of the 2008-09 season, supporters voted him City’s best
player and the club persuaded him to sign a new five-year contract. With
them since he